Jumping Across the Pond

Hi Everyone!

Well, my name is Kristina Parthum and I’m TEP’s newest abroad volunteer. I recently graduated from Winona State University, where I met and became friends with some amazing people you may be familiar with. I met Eileen a few years back in our Women’s and Gender Studies classes (in which we both graduated with minors) and was immediately struck by her quirky, upbeat, Star Wars-loving personality and absolutely brilliant mind. My Political Science major allowed me to meet Cassie and her seemingly infinite knowledge and enthusiasm for TEP was like a virus that I caught immediately after become friends with her. Quickly after meeting Cassie I met her roommate Teresa, who is an extremely loving and talented woman I am so glad to know. Through my relationships with these women, as well as our other friends and volunteers in Winona, I became involved with TEP and raising funds for them before their trip to Tanzania last summer.

It’s finally time, in less than 48 hours Eileen and I will be stepping out into the summer heat in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on my first trip to the African continent! For now, we are relegated to our hotel in Virginia, where I find myself trying to assess my feelings about our upcoming adventures. It’s a peculiar feeling to have volunteered, sort of at arms length, with Tanzanian Education Project for the past year in Winona and I am now on the cusp of this incredible journey and going to actually meet these incredible people I have heard so much about. Also, to know that no matter how much I have talked to Eileen or Cassie about Tanzania, I am in no way truly prepared for what I’m about to undertake. There is an odd liberation to that fact but I am finally getting a bit anxious, although I’m sure it will all be wonderful!

Everyone I’ve spoken with in the past few days has asked me if I’m getting excited, with that expectant look on their face because lets face it, who wouldn’t be totally stoked about what I’m about to do? However as I explained to my sister on the phone yesterday, it’s hard for me to really have any strong feelings about what I’m embarking on as it is so outside of the realm of anything in my life to this point. I mean, am I excited? Definitely. But I know my feelings are only a fraction of what they will be once I get settled in my new environment, and I’m excited for that to start.

I can say with complete certainty that I’m insanely excited to spent the next three months (Eileen is staying in TZ one month longer than I) with such an amazing travel companion and friend *cough cough Eileen*. Right now that is where most of my excitement lies! I know she will keep me upbeat and laughing throughout the next few months and lets face it, with a seasoned volunteer to lead me through the wilds of Africa I can sit back and relax with absolutely no concerns, run amuck, and let her be the grownup. Just kidding mom (and Cassie) I’ll be good!!

I do need to take just a moment and thank my parents for their support on this quest. A trip to Africa was not exactly on my mother’s post-graduation checklist for me, and needless to say she was less than thrilled about the thought of it, especially with the recent political atmosphere north of Tanzania, but she has come around fantastically. Love to you both Mom and Dad! Also to my brother, sister, and boyfriend, I will do my best to be safe and will NOT run straight into mischief or try to make friends with the wild animals…at least for a month. And thank you to the rest of my family and friends for their positive thoughts and messages as I venture off on this new journey! I am so blessed to have you all in my life, and I hope I am able to spread some of my blessings a little more outside myself while I am gone. I cannot wait to have been in Tanzania for a week or two so that I can actually have some solid info to update you with! Eileen and I have been spending the day lounging around our hotel room and discussing what our goals will be for the next few months and I cannot wait to get started! I love you all; catch you on the flip side!